“How long should a blog article be to rank well in Google?”
I get this question all the time. You would think the answer would be something simple like, “1,000 words, and you’ll rank at the top.” Wouldn’t that be convenient!
Like all other things related to SEO, the answer is messy, complex, and unique to your website.
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Shouldn’t I Just Write Until I’m Done?
“Shouldn’t I just write until I’ve completely answered the question or fully covered the topic?” you may ask. I’m sure you could write a decent blog post following this strategy.
But are you writing for the handful of viewers who already know about your website, or are you writing to rank high?
Search engines don’t only care about the quality of your post; they also care about quantity. So, if Google matters to you, you need to get a bit more strategic.
How Much Does Blog Post Length Actually Matter?
“But wait, Rodney,” I can imagine you contesting. “Aren’t we supposed to write concisely? If I can get my answer across in 300 words, should I really stretch it to 2,000? Does it make that much of a difference?”
In short, yes. The length of your blog article directly impacts where it ranks. Search engines rank quality content highest, and they determine which articles are “high quality” and relevant to user searches by using theEAT system: Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.
In general, Google doesn’t believe you can deliver full expertise, authority, and trustworthiness on a subject in as little as a few paragraphs. You need to create a longer article to dive deep into a subject and prove you’re the top specialist searchers should trust.
Now, circling back to your first question, this doesn’t mean you should just drag on to stretch your word count. Instead, you want to expand deeper on the subject.
Remember, Google still cares about qualityandquantity.
Picking a Length for Your Blog Post
Google often prefers longer blog posts over shorter varieties, so, how long should a blog article be? Dozens of factors play into this answer, so I don’t have a magic number for you, and if I did, I’d be lying.
Everything from your industry, keywords, and content type to your website age, audience size, and traffic levels affect how long your post should be. Instead, I’ll offer a four-step formula for finding the right blog post length unique to every article you create.
1. Select Your Target Keyword
Your blog’s primary keyword is the guiding light in how long the article should be. The target keyword dictates who will see your content, where it will rank, and how it should compare to competing articles.
If you don’t already have a target term in mind, don’t sweat it. You canresearch keywordsusing many tools likeGoogle,Semrush,Moz,WordStream, and more.
Ideally, you want terms relevant to your content with decent monthly traffic figures and attainable difficulty ratings. If you’re a beginner, avoid picking a keyword with millions of monthly searches, as the competition will be too high.
2. Research Your Term on Google
Now that you’ve picked your perfect term, type it into Google. Open each of the top results in a separate tab. These articles are your top competitors.
Before moving on to the next step, ensure the search intention of the top-ranking articles matches your goal. Search intention categories include navigational, informational, transactional, and commercial.
If you want to write an informative blog post, but all the top articles are navigational in nature, you may need to pick a new term. What does this mean?
Say you’re writing about building a DIY archery target, but all the top articles are navigational links to the Targetbrand website. Target shoppers will bury your blog! Instead, you could choose “How To Build a DIY Archery Bull’s Eye Stand.”
You can gain a lot of insights from your competitors.
3. Analyze the Average Post Lengths for Top-ranking Results
Before diving too deep into competitor insights, let’s get back to the task at hand: How long should a blog article be? Now that you have all the top-ranking articles open for your target keyword, you can gauge the ideal length.
To count the words on each page, use the Chrome extensionWord Counter Plus. Simply highlight the text, and bam, now you know how long, on average, your article should be.
You can also useSemrushto compile competitor research surrounding content lengths for your target keyword.
You now have a bunch of data on how many words Google thinks it takes to cover a topic. You can average the word count on all the top-ranking articles to create a target length for your blog.
4. Use Insights To Locate Content Opportunities
Content length is not the only insight you can gather from search engine results pages (SERPs). Your competitors’ content shows your audience’s expectations when reading your blog.
First, think about the tone they use. Are they addressing the reader as a novice or an advanced expert? Do they use complex jargon or long explanations to define simple things? Is it formal or conversational?
I would look at the blogs’ structures as well. Analyze the use of headings, bullet points, numbered lists, large versus small paragraphs, etc. Take note of all visual cues on the page, like images, videos, and graphics.
Think about what questions the articles address. Say your topic is about resetting your air conditioner. Do the blogs also talk about common AC issues, frequently asked questions, or when to hire a professional?
You don’t want to fill your content with useless information just to reach the word count. Use this opportunity to find expansion areas for your blog.
Should All My Blog Posts Be the Same Length?
“I did all the research and found the perfect blog length for me. I’m set now, right?”
You’ve probably realized by now that the answer is never as simple as we all wish it was. The ideal blog length varies. You’ll need to perform the steps above for every new keyword you target.
Luckily, you can plan for a few variations ahead of time. Certain types of content will always be longer than others.
Ideal Blog Post Lengths Based on Content Type
Ideal lengths vary on the keyword you choose and the type of content you’re creating. I already covered the keyword part, so let’s talk about the content type now.
While I don’t like to give blanket length averages since so many factors affect how long your article should be, seeing how the figures vary based on content type can help you understand the differences.
Here are the ideal word count averages for different content types based onSemrush research:
- News-related blogsontrendy topicsthat won’t rank high forever are typically short, ranging from 600 to 1,000 words.
- Informational blog articlesthat help you build website authority range from 1,000 to 1,500 words.
- How-tos and guideson more evergreen content are typically longer, ranging between 1,500 and 2,500 words.
- Pillar pageswith full in-depth resource information, like “Everything You Need To Know About X” can be 3,000 words or longer.
I cannot stress this enough: Just because you’re writing a how-to blog doesn’t mean your article should be 1,500 to 2,500 words. Do the research first.
Varying Blog Lengths With Your Content Pillars
“So, how can I vary my blog lengths while still following my keyword research and SERP insights?”
I know, we’re juggling a lot here, but stick with me.Content pillars are the foundationbehind practically every successful blog.
Imagine a spider’s body with eight legs extending out. The body is your core pillar, and each leg is a cluster article.
Thetopic cluster modelgroups your blog posts with one core idea: the content pillar. Your pillar page (or the spider’s body) is typically the longer, more in-depth article discussing a range of overview topics.
Your cluster articles relate to the pillar page yet dive deep into individual concepts. Cluster articles will have their primary keywords similar to the pillar. Cluster blogs can be shorter informational pieces, longer how-tos, or whatever your research uncovers.
Say my core idea, the primary concept I wish to rank for, is workout routines. My cluster articles may be ab workouts, how to work out while on vacation, at-home workouts, cardio routines, etc.
Over time, you can build out many pillars for different topics. Keep the topic cluster model in mind when researching keywords and article lengths.
So, Longer Blogs Are Better, Right?
How long should a blog article be? By now, you’ve likely come to the assumption that long-form blog posts are best.
In some ways, you’re right. If you try to publish an article under 200 words, it likely won’t rank unless you already have a huge audience. In fact, crawling tools will flag the page as an error for not having enough content.
While longer may be better in some ways, we need to circle back to the quantity versus quality debate. Blog length is only one minuscule ranking factor of over200.
Remember the EAT system? You cannot prove expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness just by babbling on for 2,000 words.
Every word in your blog should deliver insight. High-quality content features rich information elevated beyond the current top-ranking websites.
Tips on Mastering Quality and Quantity in Your Blogs
“So, how can I create the most informative blog on Google about my topic?”
Creating an information-rich article at the right length doesn’t have to be hard. I know, finally! By including the right components, you can dive deep into your topic.
Here are my top tips on mastering quality and quantity in your blogs:
- Nail your target audience: How much does your audience know about the topic already? If they’re complete beginners, use the opportunity to elaborate on basic concepts. If they’re advanced, dive into complex ideas.
- Include statistics: Hard facts prove your trustworthiness. Find information from high-quality sources and link back to them.
- Don’tjust state facts: Yes, statistics are great, but copying figures from top-ranking sites won’t set you apart. Add your insights and commentary to the facts.
- Link wherever possible: Add external links to authoritative sites for all claims to prove you did your research.
- Climb into your audience’s head: Think about what other questions your readers may have and answer them. Consider the who, what, when, where, why, and how.
- Include more keywords: Your blog shouldn’t just center around one term. Researchsecondary and tertiary keywordsto sprinkle throughout.
- Break up text: Break up your content using lists, sections, and visuals to help readers digest it easily.
- Add FAQs: Find Google’s frequently asked questions by searching your keyword and scrolling to the “People also ask” section. Include similar questions in your article with simple, concise answers.
Remember That Blog Lengths Aren’t the Only Ranking Factor
Blog article length isn’t the golden ticket to ranking high. The research process for finding your ideal blog length can help you get more strategic when planning your content.
You shouldn’t expect to see ranking results after writing one blog that’s a bit longer than your current content. SEO is a long-haul game. Focus on creating content pillars rich with high-quality content at the right lengths.
If you discover that your content is far from the right word count, consider editing and republishing old blogs. Reviving old articles may give you an SEO boost.
After nailing your content for a few months, if you still don’t see results, consider running asite audit. You may locate critical errors affecting your ranking, like slow loading speeds or broken links.
Final Thoughts
“How long should a blog article be?”
If you take away one thing from this article, let it be this: Your content should be a length similar to competing articles. Don’t stray far from reader expectations, offer quality insights, and always keep the EAT system in mind.
FAQs
What is a good length for a blog article? ›
Although your blog post length may vary depending on your topic and audience, it is often best to aim for about 1,500 to 2,000 words for articles or posts.
Is 300 words enough for a blog? ›We advise writing more than 300 words for regular posts or pages, while product descriptions should be over 200 words.
How long does it take to write a 300 word blog post? ›Writing 300 words will take about 7.5 minutes for the average writer typing on a keyboard and 15 minutes for handwriting. However, if the content needs to include in-depth research, links, citations, or graphics such as for a blog article or high school essay, the length can grow to 1 hours.
Is 700 words too short for a blog post? ›700 words – Yoast
If the writer isn't experienced, reaching 700-800 words should be the target, otherwise, they may produce a lot of fluff to reach a higher count.
At the very least, if you're going to write short blogs, try to hit at least the 300-word mark. A post between 400-600 words is widely considered the “standard” length, and it's a good middle ground if you're looking to get more social shares and comments.
How long should a 500-word blog post take? ›Some people can turn out a 500-word blog post in 30 minutes — and some people can't even do it in hours. It depends on the writer and how familiar they are with the topic. Freelance writers working in the industry can write a 500-word article in less than 1 hour.
Can a blog be 250 words? ›Minimum Blog Post Length
Technically, there is no official minimum for blog post length, though Yoast recommends at least 300 words. That said, HubSpot data suggests writing longer posts should be the rule rather than the exception for your blog.
500 words is also a standard minimum word count length for writing a blog post on a common subject. That being said, other types of content may require 1000 words, 2000 words or even 2500 words to be really effective.
How long does it take to write a 600 word blog? ›Writing 600 words will take about 15 minutes for the average writer typing on a keyboard and 30 minutes for handwriting. However, if the content needs to include in-depth research, links, citations, or graphics such as for a blog article or high school essay, the length can grow to 2 hours.
How much should I charge for a 300 word blog post? ›Mid-Level Writers: $75-$100 Per Post
* Short posts, most of them averaging 300-500 words.
How much does it cost to post a 500-word blog? ›
How much should I charge for a 500-word blog post as a Freelance Writer? The cost of a 500-word blog post would be anywhere from $25 to $100. Usually, those with 5+ years of experience can charge on the higher end. Keep in mind this pricing is typically for basic blog posts.
How long is too long for a blog post? ›In general, however, a blog post should be between 500 and 1000 words. This length allows for enough detail to give readers valuable information without overwhelming them. Posts that are too short may leave readers wanting more, while those that are too long may lose their attention.
Is a 1000 word blog post good? ›A blog post should be well over a minimum of 500-700 words to cover the topic adequately— at least 1,000 words. Longer blog posts need to contain actionable information that will help their readers solve problems.
How long does it take to write a 2500 word blog post? ›Writing 2,500 words will take about 1 hours for the average writer typing on a keyboard and 2.1 hours for handwriting. However, if the content needs to include in-depth research, links, citations, or graphics such as for a blog article or high school essay, the length can grow to 8.3 hours.
How long does it take to write a 1,000 word blog post? ›A beginner blogger can spend 5-6 hours creating a really good 1,000 words blog post. For an experienced blogger, a good 1,000 words blog post takes around a total of 4 hours to write. Spending an extra hour or two on your blog post, research, and collecting data may be a good idea.
What is the best length for a blog post 2023? ›The ideal length of a blog post is anywhere between 750 to 5,000 words. That's the quick answer, but you can already tell by that massive range that the topic deserves a much deeper look. This blog post will explore the average blog post length in 2023 and how you can stay competitive with your blog content.
What is the best number of words for a blog post? ›Our experts suggest that 1500-2000 words is the ideal length of a blog post.
How long should it take to write 700 word blog? ›Writing 700 words will take about 17.5 minutes for the average writer typing on a keyboard and 35 minutes for handwriting. However, if the content needs to include in-depth research, links, citations, or graphics such as for a blog article or high school essay, the length can grow to 2.3 hours.
How long does it take to write an average blog post? ›If you're going to commit to creating blog posts, expect each post to take around 4 hours to write. And if you want to produce something with real depth and lasting value, prepare for it to take much longer than that – I often take 6–8 hours to put my content together.
Is 5000 words too long for a blog post? ›Can a Blog Post Be Too Long? Longer posts tend to do better in Google rankings — the sweet spot seems to hover around the 2,500-word mark — but that doesn't mean that a 5,000-word blog post is too long. Comprehensive content that adds value to your reader should be your main goal.
How much does a 1000 word blog post cost? ›
Another freelance writer uses a calculator to price projects and typically uses the following range for blog posts: 1000-1500 words: USD 600. 1500-2000 words: USD 700. 2000-2500 words: USD 800.
What is the difference between a blog and an article? ›In a nutshell, blog posts tend to be informal, casual, and conversational, whereas articles tend to be formal, professional, and discursive.
What is crawling on a blog? ›Crawling refers to following the links on a page to new pages, and continuing to find and follow links on new pages to other new pages. A web crawler is a software program that follows all the links on a page, leading to new pages, and continues that process until it has no more new links or pages to crawl.
What is the ideal blog word count for SEO? ›According to a HubSpot study from 2021, the ideal blog post length for SEO should be 2,100-2,400 words. That's a lot longer than the 200- or 500-word blog posts most writers or webmasters think is ideal.
Can I write 500 words in two hours? ›The average person can type around 40 words per minute. Meaning, that if they were freewriting (letting their fingers move as quickly as their brain allowed), a 500-word piece could be completed in about 12.5 minutes.
How many paragraphs is a 500 word article? ›Since most paragraphs contain around 75-200 words, a 500-word essay will have approximately 4-6 paragraphs.
How many words is a 5 minute article? ›Although pacing varies, a 5-minute speech is roughly 750 words. Publication coach Daphne Gray-Grant says that the average person speaks about 125-150 words per minute—meaning 5 minutes of talking would entail about 625-750 words. That's about the typical length of a blog article!
How many words is a 5 minute blog? ›750 words is 5 minutes of speaking time.
How many words is a 3 minute blog? ›And since 74% of all blog posts are readable in 3 minutes or less, that means that three-quarters of all blog posts are less than 600 words. Some experts say a post should contain a minimum of 500 and even 1,000 words. But a word count of 500–600 words still considered to be a good blog post length.
How many pages is a 500 word blog? ›500 words is 1 pages single-spaced or 2 pages double-spaced.
How much do freelance writers charge per blog post? ›
So, how much to pay for a blog post? Blog writing rates vary widely depending on the writer's experience and the scope of work. Many freelance writers charge between $50 and $100 per post. However, you could pay up to $500 for an experienced, native English speaker to create a quality piece.
How much do freelance bloggers make? ›$31,000 is the 25th percentile. Salaries below this are outliers. $62,500 is the 75th percentile.
How much do bloggers make per post? ›It's not unrealistic to make between $0.01 – $0.25 per page view in many blogging niches through display and affiliate ads. So if you get 1,000 pageviews a month (very very easy), you can make between $10-$25 per month, which will cover the cost of running the blog.
Is 1500 words too long for a blog? ›A blog post should contain at least 300 words in order to rank well in the search engines. But long posts (1000 words or more) will rank more easily than short posts. CoSchedule found posts with around 2,500 words typically rank the best. Capsicum Mediaworks agrees with this.
How long does it take to write a 3,000 word blog post? ›Writing 3,000 words will take about 1.3 hours for the average writer typing on a keyboard and 2.5 hours for handwriting. However, if the content needs to include in-depth research, links, citations, or graphics such as for a blog article or high school essay, the length can grow to 10 hours.
How many times a day should you post on a blog? ›This is a question that digital marketers have debated for years. While some swear by posting daily, there's actually a confirmed sweet spot when it comes to posting frequency. Most experts agree that blogging two to four times per week is the best way to see increased traction from your content.
How many articles should a blog have? ›Bloggers should have at least 10 to 15 posts ready to post before launching their blog in order to bring in meaningful traffic. Of course, that's just to start your blog. To build a decent following and sustain good traffic, you need to keep adding new blog content regularly.
How long does it take to write a 1500 blog post? ›For an article of 1000 to 1500 words, this might take 2 to 6 hours. Research takes up the most time because you have to read through a lot of information, take notes, and then verify that the information is accurate and factual.
How long is a 1,000 word blog post? ›That's why the most successful blogs publish weekly posts at around 1,000 words or more. This length keeps reading time under six minutes on average. Your readers are 94% more likely to read your posts to the end when you keep it within that six-minute margin.
How long should the average blog be? ›The ideal length of a blog post is anywhere between 750 to 5,000 words. That's the quick answer, but you can already tell by that massive range that the topic deserves a much deeper look. This blog post will explore the average blog post length in 2023 and how you can stay competitive with your blog content.
How long should a 1,000 word blog take? ›
A beginner blogger can spend 5-6 hours creating a really good 1,000 words blog post. For an experienced blogger, a good 1,000 words blog post takes around a total of 4 hours to write. Spending an extra hour or two on your blog post, research, and collecting data may be a good idea.
What is the best length for a blog post in 2023? ›Some content marketing experts suggest that 1500-2000 words are the ideal length of a blog post. However, many companies and brands stick to shorter blog length guidelines (500-750 words) to honor a specific element of their marketing strategy.
How long does it take to write a 1500 word blog post? ›For an article of 1000 to 1500 words, this might take 2 to 6 hours. Research takes up the most time because you have to read through a lot of information, take notes, and then verify that the information is accurate and factual.
How long does it take to write an 800 word blog post? ›Writing 800 words will take about 20 minutes for the average writer typing on a keyboard and 40 minutes for handwriting. However, if the content needs to include in-depth research, links, citations, or graphics such as for a blog article or high school essay, the length can grow to 2.7 hours.
How much does a 1500 word blog post cost? ›Project-based blog writing costs are a median of $150 for a 1,500 word project. The average is $175 for a 1,500 word project. When it comes to blog cost per word, this averages just over $0.1 per word. This is the standard blog writing rate for even a beginner to intermediate content writer.
How long before a blog is successful? ›On average, it takes 2-4 years to build a successful blog. Around the 2-year mark, you should have enough content and a large enough audience to begin experimenting with different monetization methods.
How many people read the average blog? ›How many people read blogs? According to blogging statistics from a recent survey, 60% of internet users are regularly reading blogs. 39% of them do so 1-3 times a week, 10% 4-6 times a week, and 11% are reading blogs every day.
How much does it cost to post a 500 word blog? ›How much should I charge for a 500-word blog post as a Freelance Writer? The cost of a 500-word blog post would be anywhere from $25 to $100. Usually, those with 5+ years of experience can charge on the higher end. Keep in mind this pricing is typically for basic blog posts.
How long does it take to write 600 word blog? ›Writing 600 words will take about 15 minutes for the average writer typing on a keyboard and 30 minutes for handwriting. However, if the content needs to include in-depth research, links, citations, or graphics such as for a blog article or high school essay, the length can grow to 2 hours.
How long does it take to write a 2000 word blog post? ›If you're an absolute beginner at this, a 1000 word article should take you about 3 to 4 hours. A 2000 word article should take you about 6 to 8 hours. The reason it takes so long is because you're not experienced with writing consistently.